Gaseous fuel



Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES JOHN HARRIS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GASEOUS FUEL.

No Drawing.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HARRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in. Gaseous Fuel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to gaseous fuels, and more particularly to a gaseous fuel which, when used in combination with oxygen, is especially adapted for the purpose of cutting metals.

It is the general object of the invention to produce a gaseous fuel which is relatively inexpensive and which will enable the cutting operation to be performed in a most eflicient manner.

I prepare a gaseous fuel by which the foremixing ordinary commercial ether with what is known to the trade as casinghead gas.

This gas, as is well known to those conversant with the art of cutting and welding metals with gaseous fuel consists of mixtures of methane, ethane, and propane, usually with some butane and sometimes-with pentane and hexane as well. The casinghead gas referred to herein is known to the trade under various names. The gas sold under some of the trade-names is a proper casinghead gas, whilei that sold under other tradenames is a gas consisting of the distillates from oil in advance of gasoline and including rhigolene. These various casinghead gases are compressed into steel drums under such pressure as to insure liquidity, about 360 cubic feet of such gas being compressed into each such drum. When the pressure is released, the liquefied gas in each such drum assumes a gaseous form and can be used with cutting torches. However, the use of the aforesaid casinghead gases is attended with the disadvantage that, because of its high igniting point, it is necessary to employ a special blow-pipe or a Special construction of tip, in order to prevent the preheating flame from being blown out by the oxygen, when the latter is turned on for the purpose going general objects may be realized by.

Application filed February 16, 1924. Serial No. 693,384.

of cutting. Furthermore, the flame temperature which is produced by the combustion 1 of this gaseous fuel is not sufficiently high to enable themetal to be preheated quickly, thus rendering its use objectionable because of the slowness of the'cutting operation.

I overcome both of the objections noted by mixing commercial ether -with this gaseous fuel. A'convenient manner of so mixing the same is to introduce into the tank or drum in which the casinghead gas is compressed to liquefaction, fromone to four pounds of commercial ether, depending upon the particular work to be performed and the flame temperature desired. When the pressure is released and the liquefied gas is allowed to assume its aeriform condition the ether will be admixed therewith in the proportion which the amount' introduced into the tank or drum bears to the amount of the liquefied casinghead gas. -The one to four pounds of ether will give a volumetric proportion of from approximately 1.53% to 6.12%of'ether-vapor to the casing-head gas.

Gaseous fuel produced in accordance with my invention will enable the metal to be preheated with great rapidity, with corresponding rapidity of cutting; and is particularly well adapted for rapid cutting of heavy metal as well as for thecutting of rusty plates and masses of metal.

lVhile commercial or ethyl ether is preferred for admixture with casinghead gas, because of its richness in carbon and hydrogen, my invention contemplates the use of methyl ether, as well, for such admixture.

While I contemplate using ether in the proportions stated herein with any of the casinghead gases set forth, it is well adapted for use with a wet casinghea'd gas of approximately the following composition:

Percentage by volume. Methane 36.8% Ethane Propane u 21.1% Butane-Pontane 5.8% Hexane 3.7%

While a proportion of as low as 1.53% of ether in casinghead gas is advantageous, a proportion of approximately 5% "of such ether will realize more fully the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, -what I claim is 1. A gaseous fuel particularly useful for the cutting of metal and consisting essentially of a mixture of casinghead gas with the va 1' of ether in proportions of not materially less than 1.5% and not materially greater than 6% by volume of the ether vapor to the said casinghead gas.

2. A gaseous fuel particularly useful for the cutting of metal and consisting essentially of a mixture of casinghead gas with the vapor of ether, the ether vapor constituting approximately 5% by volume of the said mixture.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOHN HARRIS. 

